Before Reading / Listening Points
Job 24: Job continues discussing the prosperity of the wicked. What examples does Job give of how wicked people harm others? Does God punish them immediately, or is judgment reserved for later?
Job 25: Bildad speaks briefly about the greatness of God and the smallness of humanity. Does Bildad respond to Job’s arguments, or does he shift the focus? What lessons can we learn from his words, even if misapplied?
Job 26: Job responds to Bildad, agreeing with the greatness of God but adding more. How does Job describe God’s power over creation and the unseen world? What does he say about humanity’s ability to fully understand God?
Job 27: Job defends his integrity and warns of the fate of the wicked. How does Job describe his commitment to righteousness? What does he say about the eventual downfall of wicked people and its effects on their families?
Narration/Handwriting:
Job says bad people often go unpunished until later. Bildad says God is great, and people are small. Job agrees but adds that no one can fully understand God’s power. Job promises to stay good and warns that bad people will lose everything in the end.
Observations and Questions
Job 24: The question Job addresses here is: Why does God allow wicked people to thrive in their unrighteousness? Does God deal with them immediately?
- How does Job say God punishes them?
[Sometimes through hidden judgments in this life, but their full punishment is reserved for the life to come (v. 18–25).] - What is Job’s main observation about wicked people?
[Many who openly and secretly harm others thrive and succeed without being punished in this life.] - Does Job think all suffering people are wicked?
[No, because not all prosperous people are righteous, and not all troubled people are wicked.] - How does Job describe the actions of the wicked?
- [They oppress the poor and defenseless (v. 2–12) and commit secret mischief that often goes unnoticed (v. 13–17).]
Job 25: Bildad gives a short reply, focusing on the greatness of God and the smallness of humans. He avoids answering Job’s arguments about the wicked prospering.
- What does Bildad say about God?
[God is all-powerful and glorious, ruling over everything (v. 2–3, 5).] - What does Bildad say about humans?
[Humans are weak, unclean, and insignificant compared to God (v. 4, 6).] - What lessons can we learn from Bildad’s words, even if misapplied to Job?
[We should honor God’s greatness and stay humble about ourselves.]
Job 26: Job responds to Bildad, agreeing with his points about God’s greatness but showing they are irrelevant to the main argument. Job expands on the topic to demonstrate his own deep understanding of God’s power.
- What does Job say about Bildad’s words?
[They were true but not helpful or relevant to the discussion (v. 2–4).] - How does Job show his own knowledge of God’s power?
[He describes God’s control over the unseen world, the earth, and the heavens (v. 5–13).] - Does Job think they have fully described God’s greatness?
[No, he says their words only touch the edges of God’s power and cannot fully explain it (v. 14).]
Job 27: Job continues speaking without interruption, defending his integrity and rejecting his friends’ accusations of hypocrisy. He describes the fate of the wicked to affirm his points.
- What does Job declare about himself?
[He insists on his innocence and promises to stay true to his integrity (v. 2–6).] - What does Job say about hypocrisy?
[He fears it greatly and emphasizes that hypocrites cannot truly call on God (v. 7–10).] - What does Job say is the fate of the wicked?
[Despite their temporary success, they will face ruin, and their families will suffer (v. 11–23).]